


Cleansing Winds

by IHaveNothingCleverToPutHere



Category: VALORANT (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Falling In Love, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Personal Growth, Redemption, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:41:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29480844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IHaveNothingCleverToPutHere/pseuds/IHaveNothingCleverToPutHere
Summary: This is a rewrite and general over hall of my previous fic "of rough winds and calming storms". In this Jett is on the run and struggling to come to terms with the actions she took to save her skin after escaping the grasps of kingdom. Jett has been on the run for nearly ten years. sage and the Valorant team set out to recruit the radiant due to her innate talents. The story explores Jetts personal growth as well as the relationships that come from her drive. This is a slow burn story that is fundamentally about love, healing and redemption.This story does have darker themes and major violence at points in the story, there will be implied references to suicide and self harm. The story will also have moments of alcohol abuse and smoking, these things will be warned  at the start of a chapter, you will be able to find a recap of the chapters with heavy themes at the start of the next chapter published.
Relationships: Jett/Sage (VALORANT)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 21
Collections: Of rough winds and calming storms: continued





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> chapter one dose have slight references to alcohol abuse and includes smoking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends, I know the tone of the story has shifted and it reads a lot different than before. I hope you all can look past what the previous one was and still enjoy what the story has morphed into. Please comment any suggestions on the story.

Seoul, South Korea: 16:00 hours 8/23/XXXX  
The criminal underground  
Jett stumbled into a bar, she stood relaxed as she made conversation with some of the patrons of the place. A slight draft entered the crowded space from cracked windows and doors left open. Jett had managed to track down her target and pinpoint the locations of his frequent visits. The bar she was in seemed to be among his preferred locations. As she talked and mingled, she studied the room, planned her exits and prepared for the worst. The room was crowded enough that if she made a move too early, she'd end up hitting a bystander, or getting trapped by the bouncers. Either option was bad, but getting captured was worse. Jett moved towards a fire exit that she'd seen earlier in the evening, and she waited for a clear shot at the gang leader. By the early morning the bar had mostly cleared out but it remained crowded enough for a smooth getaway.  
Jett saw her window. Her blood ran cold and adrenaline pumped through her as she called upon her powers. She silently thanked the draft of the place as she sent her daggers flying. All three that she launched at the man hit, he fell almost instantly. The bar erupted into chaos as the bouncers located and identified her as a threat, she slipped out the door she stood next to and ran. She dashed through empty streets and leaped onto buildings. Her getaway was swift and easy. Eventually she reached the top of a tower and decided to relax a bit. She took a seat at the edge and let her legs dangle off the edge. For what felt like the first time that evening, Jett took a breath and sighed. Chills ran down her arms and guilt took over her body. She didn't want… this. Killing to save her own skin felt cheap and void. How many lives had she taken to spare hers? How many lives was she worth? Tears stung at the corner of her eyes and her hands clenched into fists.  
There were times the radiant just wanted to scream, to curse the world and blame Kingdom for everything. This was one of those times.  
“I was only a kid.” Jetts throat burned as she talked to herself. The crippling reality of her life followed the train of her every thought.  
She attempted to ground herself using the methods she had read about once.  
Five things she could see. The ground far below her, the nail marks in her skin, the skyline, the city lights and the goose bumps on her arms.  
Four things she could hear. The beating of her heart, the buzz of a light next to her, the cars that would occasionally drive by and her breathing.  
Three things she could feel. The fabric that clinged to her, the cold air around her and the concrete that touched her hands.  
Two things she could touch. her hair pulled back into a ponytail, and the blades left over from the night.  
One thing she could taste. The cigarette she pulled out and took a deep drag from.  
By the final one, Jett had calmed herself. Her life was hard, she considered it a hell most times, but she didn't dare feel sorry for herself. Jett knew she ruined lives and tore people apart. Jett broke things to save herself. At any point she could turn herself in and continue the tourture she had undergone. Instead she chose to live her life in this hello of moving every few months and killing to survive. She didn't have to keep killing to save her skin, she didn't have to run. But she did. She made her choices and she knew they had consequences. She didn't feel sorry for herself, but she made sure to hate herself as much as anybody else in the world did.  
Jett knew she was unworthy of love. She did not give it and therefore she would not let herself be loved.  
Jett hated what she was but she didn't know how to escape the hell she had created for herself. A gaping pit of crimes and sins. Eventually, she climbed off of the roof top and continued on her way to her apartment. Her walk home was simple, she kept her head down to prevent any unwanted feelings of longing. She lit a few cigarettes and smoked them along the way, never leaving the butts on the sidewalk, instead she tucked them into the pockets of her pants.  
She smoked as a way to curse the supposed gift she had been bestowed, the wind talked to her, it communicated feelings, paths, desires and plans. It didn't bend to Jetts will, it worked with her. The wind had many dislikes, the biggest being smoke. So Jett filled her lungs with it when she wanted to punish the wind for its interference in her life.  
With time Jett arrived home, a mostly empty apartment with a mess of ash trays, empty booze bottles and instant ramen scattered around. She set her bag down and went to the cramped bathroom. As she looked in the mirror she forced herself to count her sins, stolen paintings, orphaned kids, drug smuggling. The list went on. The face in the mirror was one Jett barely recognized anymore. She hated it. She pulled herself away and turned the shower on as hot as possible, the steam clogged the air similarly to smoke. She used it in the same manner. If was suffocating to her as she peeled off the clothes she wore that evening. The water stung as it hit her body, a weak attempt to clear her from her sins, baptism born from her own self hate.  
Eventually Jett stepped out of the shower and draped herself in a set of pajamas before heading to the couch she slept on every night. The sting of the cold air entered her lungs and she could tell the wind lamented her.  
Her body hit the couch and she let out a deep sigh, she covered her body with her blanket and she welcomed the warmth. Her eyes stung with the need for sleep and her mussels ached for the brake. Tonight, Jett decided she'd let herself rest.  
At some point before dawn, Jett was awoken.an unease entered her mind and it forced her to open her eyes. The years she spent on the run had taught the lesson of “if concerned, look into it.” the wind liked to warn her of things she had yet to see. She silently thanked the warning as she walked out to her balcony. Jett felt like she was being watched. The assassin knew the feeling well, people liked to follow her or stare, she was indeed quite a sight to behold. She scanned the ground below her and nothing raised her suspicions. However, when she brought her attention to the skyline and walls of the buildings that surrounded her apartment, she noticed the blink of a camera's recording. Before she could react a small dart was shot at her. The dart made contact with Jetts skin and she hissed in pain before sending a dagger towards the lens of the camera.  
Her thoughts were scrambled as she pulled the dart out of her skin, but one thing was made clear. It was time to disappear again.  
Jett was thankful for the sleep she managed to acquire before the wind warned her of the pesky spy on her tails but she knew it was time to be on the move. The rest of her night was spent packing up bags and filling the room with red herrings for her next location. She pinned travel guides on the walls and made little notes of plans to put next to them. She made the room look as though a struggle might have taken place. She tossed chairs across the room and spilt fake blood in spots around the room. She dropped bullet casings on the floor and tipped her ash trays over.  
Jett finished packing her bag, a little blue thing from her school days that made a wonderful go bag. And she refused to leave without her travel companion. A little stuffed animal of a white dove shed had as long as she could remember. She tucked the bird into her bag as gently as she could before stepping out of the apartment. Jett made her way to the top of the building before staring at the skyline of Seoul for what was probably the last time in a long time. The wind compelled her to look down as the sun rose, she saw a black car pull up next to her apartment. Two figures she recognized as kingdom employees stepped out and entered her building. It was her signal to go.


	2. Chapter two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are no warnings for this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends! thank you so much for reading! As always, Id love to here what you'd guys think of this chapter and the rework. I hope this version of the story is still something you guys enjoy. If you have any questions or concerns about the story, make sure to comment. I read all of them, I promise.

???, Italy: 8:00 8/20/XXXX  
The valorant war room.  
Sage held her hands up to her head and rubbed her temples as she sighed “Phoenix I'm well aware of the risk. But we need more bodies.”  
“That's utter nonsense. She's too much of a risk, Kingdom is on her tale, do you want to get us all killed?” The flame radiants tone was harsh, he spoke too loudly for sages liking.  
“I know! But right now, we don't have a right to calculate recruits. There are only five of us. Without bodies we have no chance of achieving our goals. Plus if we don't go after her, kingdom could weaponize her. We both know that's the worst outcome.” The tone sage spoke in was one that carried immense frustration. The team had gone back and forth for hours, they had yet to reach any agreement of meaning.  
“I worked with the girl once in my hometown. She's a wild card but she's good, no casualties happened and boy is she a riot to have on a team. I'm with sage, we should get her.” raze chuckled in an attempt to defuse the situation.   
“We don't need a wild card, we need predictable, you're a liability yourself and you know it!” Phoenix stood firm in his distaste of the radiant in question.   
Eventually Sova decided to but in, his tone was sharp but calm. “Phoenix, I understand your worry, but Jett is our best bet at getting a head start into taking kingdom down. Cyphers intel showed that she once was an asset of kingdoms. Yes it's risky, but big risk makes for big rewards. I'm with sage on this one.”  
“Oh whatever, if she's the loose end, I'm not going to save you.” phoenix was usually a kind guy, but in times of disagreement, he could be incredibly harsh.   
The meeting went on for a few more hours as pros and cons were battled back and forth, the absence of cypher worried the team but he was busy keeping an eye on the target so the team understood. In the end the team decided to attempt to recruit the wind radiant as she was determined to be a resource worth gathering. At the end of the meeting it was decided that Sage and Sova would take a trip to Soule to be backup and support for cypher. The decision was made in an attempt to keep the target and phoenix as far apart as possible because of the incidents that took place a few months earlier in Venice.   
With the meeting having ended, Sage went to her private quarters and began to pack. Her mind wandered to the mission as she tried to picture the worst case scenario, the team argued it was her death, Sage thought it would be the death of the team. Although she could bring them back, it always felt wrong to do so. But it was her duty, so she continued to resurrect the newly fallen. She had seen the afterlife first hand many times, and it was sin to take from that realm.  
???, Italy: 8:00 8/23/XXXX  
Sage paced around the motel room the team had rented. She was painfully aware of how dangerous this mission was and doubt creeped through her head. Going after this radiant, Jett, was a zero failure tolerance mission. The girl was being tailed by Kingdom, so if the team got spotted that could mean the end of Valorant. On the other hand if they did not successfully recruit the girl, it meant they'd lose their trail on her and have to start over. Sage contemplated if Phoenix had been right to dissuade the mission and stand in stark disagreement. For someone so calm on the battlefield, Sages head was almost always full of concerns over her and the team she aimed to protect.   
Sage had turned her entire world around. From luxury and endless wealth to one of the most wanted individuals in the world. It conflicted her, she questioned her own motives for what she had done on a regular basis. Was she trying to save the world from kingdom, or was she trying to find meaning in her own life outside of the systems that had raised her. Sage pondered on these ideas before she was yanked from her thoughts by someone piping over the coms.   
“The radiant girl has been found. She appears to be getting ready to pursue evasive maneuvers. Now's the window to act, she's currently residing in the criminal district and I managed to hit her with a tracking dart although the signal is weak.” Cypher radioed back to the team.   
Shortly after sova responded.“Perfect, keep your sights on her. Sage and I will attempt to make contact with the girl once we figure out where she is headed.”  
“Keep in mind we must be careful not to startle the girl, and watch out for Kingdom, they seem to be tagging behind her pretty close.” Cypher reminded the team as he began to follow the girl through the streets, he updated the team on his location frequently.   
Cypher spent his day following the girl, her movements indicated she had noticed him and was attempting to lose him through the crowded streets and various busy locations.   
“She's suspicious of me. I might need back up to come and intersect the girl as she does not seem to be fond of me.” Cypher informed the team of his predicament. He wished she had waited until the evening to move but it looked as if she was being hunted by the kingdom today as well. He kept an eye out for any threatening figures but it seemed that Jett had managed to lose the two he saw enter the apartment. Cypher was thankful for the girls skills in running, they may make it hard to track her down, but at least they kept her out of the grasp of the enemy. As the hours ticked by eventually he backed off. The most likely location for the girl to reside was the bar a few miles away from the train station.   
“Her most likely location is going to be the address I've just forwarded to both of you. I need you to take the lead as she is onto me. Be careful, she's got to be concerned as to all of the shadows she's accumulated today. As always, keep an eye out for kingdom. Be safe. I won't be able to guide you any farther. This is Cypher, going dark.” cypher signed off.  
The prospect of being in the field alone always worried sage. There was too much room for error when one was alone. She knew that Cypher would be okay, he had nothing valuable for kingdom. If he were apprehended, he'd be killed. While the idea saddened Sage, he had died before, and he would eventually have to stay dead. The same went for everyone else in valorant. She would grieve when the day would come, but sometimes you just have to let the dead rest.  
The two agents walked in silence as they approached the bar the girl was supposed to be headed too.   
Time passed and eventually the archer spoke. "Your silence speaks volume Sage, are you okay?”  
“My silence is born out of my concentration. I am fine.” sage lied through her teeth. She had more anxiety running through her body than she had since Venice. This target was unpredictable. It scared her. Missions such as this one were sages least favorite. On the battlefield she could push aside her worries, chaos was oddly calming to her as she could act in calculated steps with a high chance of survival. But in recruitment missions, sage struggled, conversation was not her strongest suit and when it came to someone as bold and fast as Jett, it was terrifying. One wrong move and she could fail. And failure was no option.  
“If you say so, i will trust you, but if you need to talk, your team is here for you.” Sova's response was soft. He loved his team but never overstepped his boundaries.   
Soon the two entered the bar, they spotted the target and approached.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has no warnings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends! this is the final update for the launch of the rewrite, I want to hear your responses before I continue to write this story, So please tell me what you think if you want me to continue writing this. With love, Zertnox <3

Soule south Korea 8/24/XXXX sometime in the early morning   
Jett climbed down from the roof of her apartment and snuck into the streets, she paid attention to her surroundings and was careful not to raise too much suspicion. She had a day to kill, the train she planned to hop onto wasn't expected until the evening. The radiant gravitated to busy streets with lots of little alleyways. These would protect her and give her options if she needed them. Despite the circumstances, Jett felt good about the day. She always enjoyed killing time around the city.  
She found it beautiful, the way buildings towered over people and the way the civilians found peace and love. Jett desired those feelings more than anything in the world. With everything she'd been through, she had yet to find a place in the world for herself. If she were honest with herself, she'd say she didn't have one and the world was never meant for her to exist. She knew she wasn't supposed to be who she was. Radeinite had morphed her into some force of nature without reason to live. Jett was lost in her thoughts. However, she stayed well aware of her situation and the shadow she had acquired. A strange man dressed in white followed her throughout the city. She attempted to lose the man in crowds and through buildings, but she remained unable to shake him for long. Panic slowly built in her chest as he started to follow closer to her. She didn't want to alarm the man by attempting to run but she didn't want him to keep following her. He seemed harmless and jett sized him up, looking back at him occasionally to figure out his motive.  
One thing was sure, he was tailing her and updating a team through an earpiece. Jett recognized his potential to be a threat but kept calm, the wind did not warn her of him. He couldn't have been that bad.  
Jett made sure to thank herself for not drinking the night before because had she been hung over, she probably wouldn't have noticed the man in the first place.  
A few hours passed by and Jett saw no obvious members of kingdom, the man in the white outfit had disappeared a while ago and she had managed to calm down. She found her way into a bar in an attempt to disguise herself and make her seem less, obvious. The place was crowded and she ordered herself a sweet tea and some food to pick at as she waited for the hours to tick by. She tried to maintain painfully aware of the people who entered and left the bar. She watched for the two kingdom employees to find her, every time the bell above the door chimed, her heart skipped a few beats. In Between watching people and socializing with a few patrons , she planned her exits if a threat were to enter the bar.  
When Jett checked the time she realized she had successfully burnt most of the day and her train was only about three hours out. As she was standing up to head out, two strange figures entered the bar, they did not appear to be from around the area although they looked fairly casual.   
Sleeper agents  
Jett was well aware of the danger the two might pose to her, but as they approached her she needed to act as inconspicuous as possible. The two strangers approached her table, the smaller of the two, a young woman with striking black hair, began to speak. “Hello there, mind if we take a seat, the other tables are full. We won't be a bother.”  
“Of course, this is a bar, people come to socialize.” Jetts response was bland but it did not rouse any suspicion.   
“Hello, I am Sova, this is sage. We are out here on business at the moment. We are curious, do you know the city well?” Sova asked the question in a cheery tone.  
Sage noticed Jett tense up before she responded. The target was suspicious of the two. Sage knew this. But the response the girl gave made it ever clearer.   
“I'm fairly local…” Jett shifted in her seat. “What business are you here for if you don't mind me asking.”   
When Sage spoke for the second time, something shifted inside of jett. She noticed how much life radiated off of the stranger. Every ounce of Jett pulled towards the girl, she wanted to trust her, she wanted to have fun for an evening and relax. But Jett forced herself to remain on task and listen to what the stranger said.  
“Were here for a… convention” Sage hesitated in her answer.   
Jett leaned back in her chair and spoke “what convention?” she abandoned her attempt at inconspicuous. The two strangers seemed to be on to her, she wanted them to know she was suspicious of them.  
Before sage could reply, a bing emanated from her coms and cypher chimed in. “ I've got company, I need back up now, I've pinged my location to both of you. One of you needs to keep an eye on the target. Do not let her get away.”   
Sova immediately stood up, “looks like I've got a business call to take, i hate when my associates ring me this late.” he left the bar in a hurry putting his phone up to his ear and acting upset on his way out.  
“How unfortunate, do you work on the same project or are you just travel associates?” Jett relaxed a bit once the man left, she could easily take on the girl in front of her.   
“It depends on what the company needs, right now we are collaborating on our research.” sage smiled lightly as she answered. The simile sent a blush to Jetts cheeks  
Jett continued her interrogation for a bit, but eventually she decided the girl was no threat and she relaxed in the conversation with the stranger. In that moment Jett could have sworn she wanted to be the girl's friend. It saddened her knowing she couldn't.   
Jett looked down at her watch. It was time for her to go. The feeling of empty loneliness creeped into her chest as she stood and began to head out. “I'm very sorry sage, you've been a wonderful distraction but I must get going. I've got a train to catch.”   
“ I hate to be rude, but the last train left 30 minuets ago. What train are you planning to catch.” sage asked the question and almost immediately regretted it.  
Jetts head snapped back and nothing short of horror entered her eyes as she responded. “Don't ask questions you don't need to know the answer too.” her tone was harsh and sage caught exactly the message that was being put down. It was a threat.  
A pang of guilt entered Jetts chest as she exited the bar, she did not need to be so harsh. But her safety needed to be her first priority. It hurt leaving places every few months. It hurt knowing she'd never get to have a life with friends or family. A bitter taste entered her mouth. Kingdom had taken that right from her the moment the ‘accident’ happened. Ten years on the run and it never got easier to say goodbye to people.  
A few seconds passed as she walked down the street. The girl from the bar did not follow. Jett continued her walk to the train station until she was disturbed by the sound of gunfire. Even in this district, gun fire was rare. Her blood ran cold, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She made the mistake of turning around and she was greeted by the sight of the two Kingdom agents who were after her.  
The man let out a laugh that terrified Jett. “...Found you.”


End file.
